The question speaks for itself. I haven't heard any news in several months.

Tom

Just have to keep watch on their facebook page, for all I know the owner was selling a passenger car maybe something else.

The engine sits practically ready for steam and pull trains waiting for excursions. When if where why how something may happen we don't know, we've discussed the engine to death already, no need to rehash old threads again.

Practically ready might be a bit of an overstatement... It'll need a new Form 4 and 1472 day inspection, but unless I'm mistaken everything else has been done. Someone who's more familiar with her might know more.

The inspection as per rule I would be certain, but its barely operated, sitting around some peripherial things may get rusty like some filters and check some fittings.
Before it really ran if at all you will give it the full once over, that is for sure.

The news has been the same for a long time. Write a check for triple what it's worth and then pay to move it.

The trick is to start a donation drive, communicate with the potential railroad for possible excursions, inspect the track for operability (IE guardrailless frogs, that may be the real hangup), get some cars to pull etc etc, and you need an army of volunteers enthusiastic to make it all work, a good business background, promote your operations like any museum...it takes a conscientious group to do all this dedicated for the purpose of the operations.

According to CFR49, Part 230.13-16 and 18, in order to keep the locomotive's FRA ticket, the owner has to make and submit all of the 31-day, 91-day and annual inspection reports each year. In addition, he must make his annual Form 5 Service Days Report whether the locomotive has turned a wheel or not. The important section is 230.18 that defines when a locomotive is regarded by the FRA as "retired". If the owner of the 643 has kept up with his FRA reporting he could fire up and run today, regardless of the deterioration that may have occurred during the locomotive's inactivity. If not, then another 1472-day inspection is required to restart the clock.

No, he could not, as the 15 years since the last full inspection expired long ago. Doesn't matter if it has no service days; 15 years is 15 years. Paperwork makes no difference once the years are up.

And this one has been sitting outdoors for most or all of that 15 years.

I thought it was inside a building which was dismantled around it.

I believe it was towed out of the building, then the building was demolished. Point it, it would be unwise, if not illegal, to fire a locomotive that has not been run, properly stored, or maintained for as long as 643. Having a place to run her is another issue, but everyone recognizes how long and heavy a 2-10-4 is. Still, and meaning no disrespect to those reviving 4-8-4's, having an operable 2-10-4, having a regular run for it, having it haul charter freights up Horseshoe Curve under NS's governance, well, that would be something special.

Getting the present owner to let go of it to a reasonable price, to a wise and connected buyer, that's something else.

The assumption was that the 15 years was NOT yet up.

If that is the case you are correct. My assumption was that the work was done sometime
in the 80s or 90s.

So in FRA parlance, the locomotive is RETIRED. Back in 2000 the FRA did make allowance for locomotives that had legal tube time to operate but that there were no exemptions from the 1472 day inspection when the tube ticket ran out.

Yes. You have start all over again as far as the boiler and firebox is concerned. That would include a fresh UT and new Form 4 calculated from the results of that UT and other items.

Just digging up the old one and changing the date will not suffice.

You probably won't be hearing anything for several years.
643 is one of those locomotives I've long since given up on hearing anything about until what will probably be an 'out of the blue' news flash of some kind, either good or very bad...